Johnson steps down at Bell-Jeff
When Jaclyn Johnson was asked to take over the girls’ basketball coaching duties at Bellarmine-Jefferson High prior to the 2010-11 season, the former Guards standout player had to live up to high expectations.
In the previous eight years, former coach Bryan Camacho built the program into one of the most successful in the state. He accumulated a 183-50 record and had a .785 winning percentage. In addition, Bell-Jeff won three straight Santa Cruz League titles, a CIF Southern Section title in 2009 and captured a state championship the same year.
Her accomplishments throughout the course of the last two seasons saw Johnson keep Bell-Jeff’s winning tradition going. However, after just two seasons leading the Guards’ program, Johnson is stepping down to take a job in the athletic department at Santa Monica City College.
During her tenure, Bell-Jeff went 47-14 for a .770 winning percentage, and notched a 16-0 record in the Santa Cruz League, capturing two league crowns. The Guards also advanced to the CIF Southern Section semifinals in both seasons and earned two wins in the state playoffs.
Johnson, 32, who also served as the school’s athletic director, said her new position is less hectic than that which she leaves at Bell-Jeff, and it also gives her time to work on her master’s degree in athletic administration.
“There is less responsibility, and I started my master’s, so this will give me the opportunity to focus on that so I can get that done in an expeditious manner,” she said. “This position is a lot less taxing, and continuing my education is important to me.”
A 1997 Bell-Jeff graduate, Johnson came to the school to be its athletic director. However, she was pressed into service as the girls’ basketball coach and she admitted wearing two hats took up a great deal of her time.
“I love Bell-Jeff, and I always will,” Johnson said. “I loved working with the kids and I really learned a lot. But I didn’t come here to coach, that wasn’t my intention. In the time that I did coach, I hope I was able to teach life lessons more than anything. More than basketball, it was about teaching responsibility and accountability, and hopefully I was able to instill some of that into the players.”
Despite losing some key players who transferred in the offseason, Bell-Jeff was able to enjoy a successful season during the 2011-12 campaign. Along with claiming the Santa Fe League title, the Guards (24-6) advanced to the CIF Southern Section Division IV-AA semifinals where they fell to Gardena Serra, 71-54. The team also won a game in the Division IV state playoffs against Los Angeles Baptist, 70-60, before falling to St. Bernard, 65-51, in the second round.
“I think we had a phenomenal season this past year although we lost some big components,” Johnson said. “But we were able to be successful in spite of that. I think that goes in part to the girls and the fact that I had a great coaching staff helping me.”
During the 2010-11 season, the Guards (23-8) won a league title and advanced to the Division III-A semifinals, losing to Orange Lutheran, 43-40. The team also made it to the second round of the state playoffs, falling to Bonita, 67-52. The team did notch a 76-48 victory against Reseda in the first round of the CIF State Girls’ Division III Basketball Championship.
“Jackie was a very good administrator and we had a lot of faith in her,” Bell-Jeff Principal John Matheus said. “She had a great relationship with the kids and her teams were well coached and well disciplined. She was also able to carry on the tradition of Bell-Jeff girls’ basketball.
“She’s moving on and that has to do with professional growth for her.”
Johnson returned to Bell-Jeff after enjoying a fine tenure as a player. As a senior for the Guards, Johnson helped the team win the 1997 CIF Southern Section Division IV championship under Coach Jim Couch. She was also the division’s player of the year.
She went on to a successful collegiate career at the University of Kansas, before, in 2001, being drafted by the WNBA’s Orlando Miracle and also playing basketball at the international level.
Matheus said the school is in the process of filling the athletic director position and should have the job filled “within the next two weeks.”
Taking over the basketball duties for Johnson will be former Canyon Country Canyon coach Stan Delus, whom Matheus said will begin work June 1.
Johnson returned to Bell-Jeff after enjoying a fine tenure as a player. As a senior for the Guards, Johnson helped the team win the 1997 CIF Southern Section Division IV championship under Coach Jim Couch. She was also the division’s player of the year.
She went on to a successful collegiate career at the University of Kansas, before, in 2001, being drafted by the WNBA’s Orlando Miracle and also playing basketball at the international level.